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Designed exclusively for the hit 1966 "Batman" TV show starring Adam West and Burt Ward. This automotive wonder was styled and engineered with the many different special effects innovations by Barris Kustom Industries. Originally it started off as a $250,000 1955 Ford Lincoln Futura concept car. With a deadline of 3 weeks this Lincoln was transformed into the world’s most famous car.
Weight is 5500 pounds and it has completely hand formed steel body. Wheel base is 129 inches; overall length is 206 inches and the top height is 48 inches. Powered by a 429 Ford Full Race engine, Moon equipped, NitroOxide Thrust Front end design characteristic is the face of a bat with the hood scoop extending down into the frontal area accentuating the nose. Right and left eyes extend into the ears with dual 450 watt laser beams installed in amber reflective lenses. Hood scoop follows the front area with a hydraulically operated steel chain and cable cutter blade.
Hidden behind the ears are functional headlights for normal street driving. The grille cavity is the mouth of the bat with the internal mounted rockets. Dual 84 inch rear bat fins are in line with bullet proof steel as added protection for Batman and Robin. Operable red reflective taillights are mounted in the rear of the bat fins. Four 6 inch flared eyebrow bullet proof wheels wells are formed and used as tire protectors. Ten inch wide Rader wheels made of steel and power thrust alloy use traction grip Oval Firestone tires. The rear upper panel has triple rocket tubes and are on an automatic theft control system with shooting colored fire rockets. 360 degree turning is made possible by pulling the emergency bat turn lever that releases and billows the bat impression twin parachutes on a 25 foot nylon cord. Turbine exhaust finned air cooling rear tube is mounted on the V cavity rear grille section with both parachutes installed on each side. Twin aircraft streamlined plexi-glass bubble windshields and top section are made bullet proof and matching in design.
The center safety roll bar arch is made of alloy steel and equipped with operable flashing lights, right and left trouble shooters and miscellaneous warning lights, and then attached to the double bubble top. Twin body contoured air foam bucket seats are formed into the cab compartment of Scottish grain black naugahyde in horseshoe designs, pleats and rolls, black nylon shoulder body and safety belts are fitted for Batman and Robin. The center consul incorporates the power accelerator T arm and the Batman fire extinguisher. Steering wheel incorporates right and left turn indicator buttons made in half aircraft design with all the dials, gauges and speedo installed in center hub.
The dash is equipped with many different Batman innovations such as the Batscope that is hooked up with a revolving closed circuit antenna to bring the Batman full vision plus the Bateye switch for anti-theft control, the antenna is for an information radio wave pickup of messages and computering from the Batcave with an electronic unit installed in trunk. A Detect-a-scope is used to determine the area in which Batman or Robin are in, also the Batray reactors and laser beam button controls, plus many flashing warning lights and directional electronic systems.
Attached to the anti-fire theft control systems are swivel 5-way nozzles that eliminate any fire throughout the vehicle. Ad double cable control exhaust cutout system are used for sound volume. To finish off this different one of a kind vehicle are 40 coats of super gloss black and then is trimmed in an outline of fluorescent cerise.
Source: Barris
Images: OldConceptCars
